There are known hobs with pan detection at a cooking point, the pan detection detecting whether a pan has been placed on or removed. With the removal of the pan, the cooking point is switched off, but a power level that has been set continues to be maintained. If a pan is then placed on again, the burner ignites immediately and, on account of the pressure conditions in the gas system and the delay of the igniting process, a briefly larger gas flame may occur, even reaching to beyond the handles of the pan. The gas flame will at least be of the size of the level that has been set, possibly even larger because of the briefly larger flame. The user must therefore quickly remove his/her hands from the handles of the pan in order not to be burned by the flame.